Joseph wood



(No HodeLf J. WOOD.

BED BOTTOM OR 001?.

No. 571,821. Patented Nov. 24, 1896.

NnRmS warms co. Mm'qunm. WASMINGYON n c UNITED STnTns PATENT Trice,

JOSEPH \VOOD, OF OIIIOAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LEONARD IVARDEN, OF SAME PLACE.

BED-BOTTOM OR COT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,821, dated November 24;, 1896. Application filed August 31, 1896. Serial No. 604,401. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH \VOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bed-Bottoms or Oots, of which the following is a specification.

This invention. relates to improvements in that class of removable spring bed-bottoms which may be converted into or used as a cot and it consists in certain peculiarities of the construction, novel arrangement, and operation of the various parts thereof, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide a bed-bottom which shall be simple and inexpensive in construction, strong and durable, and may be readily removed from the bed and used when desired as a cot; second, such a bed bottom in which the woven-wire mattress shall be supported between its secured ends by means of adjustable springs, and, third, to provide a bed-bottom or cotto which the woven-wire mattress may be readily secured or detached therefrom and may be made taut or tightened when desired.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention pertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe it, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, of my bedbotto1n, s11 owin g it detached from the bed-frame and ready for use as a cot. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the frame of the bed-bottom with the woven-wirc mattress removed and illustrating said bottom as resting on the side rails of the bedi'rame, which rails are indicated by dotted lines; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a por tion of one of the side rails of the bed-bottom or cot and the adjustable end rail used for tightening the woven-wire mattress, showing the said end rail engaged by a spring-actuated pawl.

Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the diitcrent views of the drawings.

A represents the side rails of the bottom or cot, which are preferably made of metal tubing with their ends upturned, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. These rails lie parallel with one another and are secured together by means of cross-bars cc, upon which the supporting-sprin gs G rest and have their bearings. When used as a bed-bottom, the side rails of the device are provided with anumber of projections or clips co to rest on the rails A (see dotted lines in Fig. 2) of the bed-frame. Each of the upturned ends at the head portion of the bottom or cot is formed with a slot (1- to receive the projections or arms 0 on the tubular end piece 0, which end piece is formed with a longitudinal slot 0' for the reception and retention of the wire sel- Vage or end of the wire mattress D, which may be of the ordinary or any preferred construction, but is usually provided with rings (I along its end edges. In the upturned portions of the side rails at the foot of the bottom or cot is ecccntrica-lly hung or journaled on arms or projections 0 a tubular end piece O, which is provided with a longitudinal slot 0 to receive and hold the opposite end of the wire mattress from that engaged by the end piece 0 at the head of the cot or bottom. These end pieces are open at their ends, and while they have their bearings in the side rails A, yet they are eccentrically hung thereon in order that the edges of the wire mattress D maybe inserted into their respective slots without obstruction from the rails. After being so inserted the rings or other enlarge ments (1 on the wire mattress will securely hold it in position, as is apparent.

Extending from one of the cross-bars (b to ward the foot of the bottom or cot is a bracket E, whose free end is upturned and has pivotally secured therein a pawl F, which is held in engagement with the adjusting end piece 0 by-means of a spring f, one end of which rests against the upturned portion of the bracket and the other end against the lower portion of the pawl, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 8 of the drawings. The upper end of the pawl engages suitable openings 0* or teeth on the tubular end piece 0 and prevents the same from turning when weight is placed on the wire mattress. The end piece O is provided near its ends with openings 0 to'receive a rod or bar to be used for turning said end piecewhen it is desired to tighten or take up the slack of the wire mattress. On the cross pieces or bars a and extending longitudinally with the frame are placed a numben of bow springs G, which are provided in their ends with slots g, through which are passed bolts g or other securing devices to adjustably fasten them on said bars. As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the springs G are flat on their upper surfaces and have secured thereon cross-pieces H, of any suitable material and dimensions, upon which the wire mattress D may rest. To each of the side rails A and near and between the cross-bars a are pivotally secured legs H, which are to be employed when the bottom is used as a cot, and are prevented from spreading longitudinally by means of the cross-bars ct, which Will permit them to occupy an inclined position, as is shown in Fig. 1,- but will act as checks against further longitudinal and outward movement. These legs are se= cured, by means of transverse rods h, in pairs, near the head and foot of the bottom or cot.

From the foregoing and by reference to the drawings it will be seen and readily understood that by folding the legs H toward each other they will lie parallel with the side rails, when the bottom may be placed and supported by means of the clips or projections a on the frame or side rails of the bed. The springs G extend somewhat higher than the end pieces 0 and C, so as to produce a slightlyarched effect of the wire mattress, so that when the body of a person is placed on the mattress it will yield, by reason of the weight, and the springs, through the medium of their slots 9 and tension, will adjust themselves to properly support the occupant with comfort able resiliency. After long usage the wire mattress D may sag or become slack, and in order to take up said slackness or tighten the wire mattress I provide the end piece 0 at the foot with means for revolving it on an eccentric aXis and for securing it by means of the pawl 1 at any desired point.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination with the side rails, having the upturned ends, of a slotted tubular piece secured in the head portion of said rails, and a slotted tubular piece having engaging devices about its middle for a pawl, and open ings 0 to receive a rod to turn the tube, said tubular piece being eccentrically hung or journaled in the foot portion of the side rails, transverse bars uniting the side rails, a series of bow-springs adj ustabl y secured on said bars, aspring-actuat-ed pawl secured on one of the bars and adapted to engage the tubular end piece at the foot of the cot, and awire mattress secured at its ends in the slots of the tubular end pieces, substantially as de scribed;

JOSEPH VOOD.

Witnesses:

CHAS. C. TILLMAN, E. A. DUGGAN. 

